The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to agricultural implements towed behind a tractor, and in particular, to automatic control of the tractor and/or agricultural implement as a function of the vibration detected in the attached implement.
One type of planting implement, sometimes referred to as an air drill, is towed behind a tractor and is commonly equipped with one or more row units. The row units are attached to the air drill frame by individualized arms or linkages which allow the row units to operate independently of another. This “independence” allows each row unit to independently respond to changes in terrain and field obstructions, for example, by moving in a vertical direction.
Each row unit includes, for example, a ground engaging device such as a point, a shank, or a coulter disc to open a furrow in a field, a product distribution system to distribute product to the field, and a closing system to put dirt over the product in the field. The ground engaging device cuts a furrow or trench in the soil into which seed and/or fertilizer is deposited. The seed and/or fertilizer is metered from an air cart, also towed behind the tractor, and supplied by a pneumatic system to the air drill. At the air drill, the seed is distributed to individual rows and dropped through a tube into the trench cut by the ground engaging device. Each row unit may further include closing discs to push the soil displaced by the ground engaging device back over the trench, covering the seed and/or fertilizer as the closing discs pass. A trailing wheel or ganged packer wheel assembly then packs the soil atop the seed and/or fertilizer. The amount of packing pressure applied by the trailing (packer) wheel may be adjusted by a spring which biases the trailing (packer) wheel against the field.
When the ground engaging device is a coulter disc, each coulter disc of the row unit has a generally flat construction that is rotated a few degrees, e.g., 7 degrees, about a vertical axis. As the coulter disc is pulled through the soil, the leading surface of the coulter disc displaces soil and creates a furrow in the soil. Downward pressure on the coulter disc is provided by a spring, air bag, or hydraulic cylinder to hold the coulter disc at a desired furrowing depth, e.g., desired seeding depth. The depth at which the coulter disc cuts the furrow into the soil is controlled by a gauge wheel that runs in relative close proximity to the coulter disc. In addition to its depth controlling function, for some disc drills, the placement of the gauge wheel close to the coulter disc also assists in keeping the disc surface clean of soil, mud, or debris buildup. The gauge wheel rides over the soil displaced by the coulter disc as the furrow is being cut to prevent the displaced soil from being thrown.
It is desirable to maintain a uniform distribution of seed and/or fertilizer. The operator configures the metering system to deliver the seed from the air cart at a desired distribution rate to achieve a desired spacing of the seed in each row. However, it is known that rough or uneven terrain can cause vibration, or bounce, in the row units, resulting in uneven distribution of seed or excessive variation in the depth of the furrow and/or the amount of soil packed over the furrow. Thus, it would be desirable to control operation of the tractor and the towed implement to minimize the amount of vibration in the row units.